Eossetee i



(ModeL) I R. I. TOWLE.

SAFETY WHEEL FOR ROLLER SKATES, v No 336,603. Patented'Feb. 23. 1886WITNESSES IN'VENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROSSETER I. TOWLE, OF GUNNISON, COLORADO.

SAFETY-WHEEL FOR ROLLER-SKATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LcttersPatent No. 336,603, dated February23, 1886,

(Modeh) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rossnrna I. Town, of Gunnison, in the county ofGunnison and State of Go1orado, have invented a new and ImprovedSafety-Wheel for Roller-Skates, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved safety-wheelon the rear end of a roller skate to enable the skater to regain hisequilibrium very easily and rapidly.

The invention consists in the combination, with a roller-skate,ot'prongs projecting downward from the rear end, and having a series ofapertures for receiving a pin, a pin in one pair of apertures, and aroller mounted be: tween the prongs on the pin and having a series ofeccentric apertures for receiving a locking-pin for locking the rollerin place.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification,

' in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inboth the figures.

Figure 1 is a side View of a roller-skate provided with my improvedsafety-Wheel. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same.

On the rear or heel end of the foot-plate A of the roller-skate a plate,B, is secured, from which two prongs, C, extend downward, and are theninclined downward and toward the rear, the lower parts, 0, of the prongshaving a series of apertures,D,t'or receiving the ends of a pin, E,passed through the middle of the roller F between the said prongs. Thepin E can be passed through the lower, middle, or upper apertures D,accordingly as the roller is to be held a greater or less distance abovethe floor. The roller F also has eccentric apertures H, through whichapin, J, can be passed, the said pin being also passed through aperturesD in the prongs,whereby the roller F is locked in place. When the rolleris not to be locked, the pin J is held in apertures in the prongs O,near their upper ends. Adepts and experts need not have the roller Flocked, as they are more experienced and can regain their equilibriumvery easily. In case the skater is about to fall toward the rear, theroller F comes in contact with'the floor and enables the skater toregain his equilibrium. As the roller is free to tnrn,it does not act asa brake, and does not check the speed of the skater, which is of greatimportance, for if a person suddenly stopped in a crowded rink a numberof other persons would also be stopped and considerable disorder wouldarise, and accidents might happen. as others would not check their speedat the same time. The roller F does not interfere with fancy or backwardskating, as it is held sufficiently above the floor. Beginners lock therollerF in place by means of the pin J, so that the roller acts as abrake and checks the speed of the skater as soon as it is brought incontact with the floor. As the-roller F has a series of apertures,H, itcan be locked in different positions by the pin J, so that the same partof the rim will not always come in contact with the floor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isa 1. The combination, with a roller-skate,of prongs projecting down from the rear end and having a series ofapertures for receiving a pin, and of a roller mounted between theprongs on said pin, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with a roller-skate, of prongs projecting down fromthe rear end and having a series of apertures, of a pin held in one pairof apertures, and of a roller mounted between the prongs on the said pinand having a series of eccentric apertures, substantially as hereinshown and described.

3. The combination, with a roller-skate, of the prongs G, projectingdownward from the rear end, the pin E in said prongs, the roller F onthe pin, which roller has a series of eccentric apertures, and of thepin J, held in the prongs, substantially as herein shown and described.

ROSSETER I. TOIVLE.

